About Vale

We’ve come a long way in a short time.

Founded as the McLaren Vale Beer Company in 2008, we kicked off contract brewing small runs of the original VALE ALE. We’ve since expanded our core range to include the LAGER, the IPA, the AMBER and the GOLDEN while getting creative with short batches of EXPs and Limited Editions along the way.

Since installing our mighty brewing apparatus in Willunga back in 2012, we’ve had the brewing agility to get creative and take some chances. We took a punt on our first EXP (a creamy, seven-malt oatmeal stout if you’re keeping score) and haven’t looked back since.

2015 has been another milestone year, with the Collin brothers taking full control, changing our name to Vale Brewing, the release of our Fox Hat line and punching above our weight to bring home some fancy beer awards.

While we’re thrilled with where we are, there is still plenty more to do. The next big steps are to bring all packaged production in-house and to create an iconic home within our community. We’ve got a great team and think we’re onto a good thing; we’ve got quite a bit more history to write yet.

The Brothers

The Collin brothers have been a part of Vale Brewing since the beginning, but when the opportunity came up to claim a 100% stake in the then McLaren Vale Brewing Company, they were all in.

Tim, Mike and Pete are a diverse batch of boys with some very different professional backgrounds – they come at situations from different angles, but pull in the same direction. Their strong-will and competitive spirit makes sure the best ideas come to the table and feed through to the tap and bottle.

The Region

The McLaren Vale tradition of craftsmanship extends well past the region’s world-beating wines, but it gives us some big boots to fill.

McLaren Vale has a grand tradition of creating quality produce and craft. We embrace that tradition and the expectations that come along with it. The Vale’s reputation is both a solid foundation and a bar that we strive to raise.

Beer maintains a different relationship with ‘place’ in comparison to wine. Where the focus of a wine is the grape - a product of the soil - beer is a product of the passion, skill and creativity of the brewer made with the best ingredients from around the world. These elements are still informed by place, and the influence of McLaren Vale on our brewing decisions is significant.

The unrelenting emphasis on quality comes from the region’s shared culture of pride in first-rate produce. It’s more than just great tasting beer though: we work to a deeper understanding that what we produce can enrich everyday experiences.

All this leads to our obsession with creating the best possible product. It’s an obsession that we’re proud of.

Our Craft

We are living in a renaissance of craft brewing. The range of styles, fusions and embellishments entering the market is incredibly exciting. Standing out is one thing, but standing out for the right reasons is our driving motivation.

Our brewing team is dedicated to the point of obsession with sourcing the best ingredients and combining them in the perfect way: the specifics of the alchemy are kind of a secret, so we can’t go into too much detail (head brewer Jeff wouldn’t be happy if we spilled too many beans).

Let’s just say we are tireless in our pursuit of quality and consistency. While we don’t shy away from hard work, we’re also sure to find time to enjoy ourselves. Having the best job in the world, in the best part of the world, makes it quite a bit easier.

The Brewery

There was electricity in the air when the four-vessel, 35HL DME kit was delivered to Jay Drive back at the start of 2012, but nobody was more excited than head brewer, Jeff Wright. If we’d known what he had in store at the time, we’d have been even more excited.

Jeff and the team have taken to the new facilities like an artist to canvas: the creativity and colour presented in our finished products is proof that the right tools in the right hands can craft truly special things.

Vale Team

Jeff Wright

Head Brewer

Jeff
started his working career pulling beers in bars through university and after a
brief 15-year stint in commercial viticulture management has found himself back
in the hospitality industry. Jeff
has been Head Brewer at Vale Brewing since 2011 where he commissioned the
brewing facility in Willunga and built the current all-star brew team around
him. Jeff has grown the portfolio from a lonely few lines to the current range
of beers and ciders, including spearheading the Fox Hat Brewing range. He
prides himself on the flavour balance of all the beers and ciders and enjoys
sharing his experiences with others. He is a fan of all beer styles but has a personal
bias towards hop-driven ales and big, bold stouts.

Kai Cook

Brewer

Kai's
been in the food and beverage industry forever, and it’s always been about two
things for him: flavour and quality. There for the commissioning of the
Willunga Brewery and brewing with Vale since 2012, things haven't changed. Kai
won’t be drawn on picking a favourite style of beer, preferring to keep an open
mind and an open palate.

Shane Parkes

Brewer

During his 15 plus years as greenkeeper of his local golf course, Shane cultivated a healthy passion for craft beer and home brewing. While the self-proclaimed ‘beardless brewer’ absolutely loves big ballsy IPA’s (the bitterer the betterer) he’s also partial to the occasional funky saison or two. Shane’s three years with Vale have intensified his love of craft beer and expanded his knowledge of all things beer and brewing. Not to mention his quirky tales and infectious smile keeping his fellow fermenters entertained as they brew up a storm.

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